The Second Time Around
by KC Evans
Summary: AU. Battousai is confronted once again with a choice he has to make: his career as an assassin or the woman he loves. [Chapter 1 Edited]
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and Star Wars is copyrighted by its respective owners, of which I am not one.

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Warnings: AU. Mention of blood.

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A short, lean, red-haired man stared down at the body of his most recent victim who had been cut down without so much a word. There was no remorse on the killer's face, having witnessed – and in fact caused – the same scene countless times before. The dead man, identified only by the name Sucho, had known he was marked for death, anyway; such was the life of a snitch. Once found out, traitors like him were no longer safe.

Rivulets of blood snaked from the lifeless shell before him, pooling around his feet. But the golden eyes didn't seem quite focused on it. Instead, the assassin Battousai merely stood there, his mind was preoccupied by another matter.

The kill was actually quite sloppy; blood was splattered all over the walls and floor and even on himself when normally he took pains to keep it neat and tidy. After all, someone would eventually have to clean it up. Why make more work for people?

He usually preferred to keep things orderly, even when killing.

But Battousai knew the reason for the unprecedented disarray. Every time he looked in any direction, with increasing frequency, all he could see were sapphire eyes staring at him. There was hurt, confusion, and anger there, all mingled into one as she opened her mouth to tell him …

To tell him that he was doomed to hell.

Abruptly, Battousai shook himself firmly from the memory; now was not the time to dwell on it. He had to leave before someone came in and found him like this. With a practiced snap of his wrist, he flicked off the blood from his chosen weapon, the sword. A bit archaic, perhaps, but he had always enjoyed the close and personal interaction with his victims.

Until someone had thrown his life into an uproar. His mind seized upon another memory with sadistic relish. Her horror and disappointment in him – in _him_ – was like bitter poison.

_Get a hold of yourself_! Battousai commanded himself, fighting from the grasp of the painful memory. He was treading on dangerous ground; he should have left immediately after the kill. How long had he been standing here? _I can't get distracted again. Stop thinking about her_!

Too bad it was easier said than done.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a clean cloth, wiping down his sword carefully. When he finished, he tossed it aside and fished out an oiled rag this time, running over the blade in a familiar gesture that calmed him. Comforted by the movements, he slid the sword back into its sheath and tucked the rag away for later use. Without another look at his unfortunate victim, Battousai casually strode out of the house, pausing only to wipe his boots free from blood on the welcome mat just outside the door. It wouldn't do to go outside and leave behind a trail.

He jolted to a stop two steps later, staring at the unexpected visitor. After moments of stretched silence between them, he finally nodded his head once. "Sano."

Sagara Sanosuke surveyed him briefly from his position at the broken gate bordering the property, apparently on his way to visit the occupant of the house. His expression melted from surprise into concern as he took in the Battousai's countenance. With his usual lack of tact, the taller man said bluntly, "You look like hell, Kenshin."

Hearing his given name broke a dam of memories from his mind; memories Battousai had carefully tried to lock up in the deepest recesses of his brain for the past two years. All of them contained the image of a woman with dark hair and the bluest eyes known to man. In some, she was laughing and teasing him, and in others, the disdain spoke volumes even when she didn't speak.

Unfamiliar emotions welled up inside him, overwhelming and quite uncomfortable. Battousai all but snarled, trying to cover up his confusion. "Don't call me that!"

Sano had to raise his brows at the particularly violent reaction. "All right, don't get your boxers all in a bunch." He lifted his chin to indicate the house the shorter man had just exited. "I suppose from your appearance Sucho is dead?"

Battousai was grateful for the change of subject. This he could talk about. Business. It left nothing to feelings. "He was a snitch," he said with an indifferent shrug.

"He offered us valuable information, but I never did like the creep. Though I'm dying to know what Saitou had over him to make him squeal." Sano shrugged, apparently feeling no remorse for the unfortunate victim either. "'Course, the Wolf's not going to be happy about this."

"How is she?" Battousai asked abruptly, not bothering to specify who; they both knew. And the moment the words left his mouth, he wanted to take his own sword and cut out his tongue with it. What on earth possessed him to ask such a stupid question? It wasn't even related to anything they were talking about!

Sano's expression hardened and Battousai knew the question wasn't welcomed by him either. "Stay away from her, Kenshin," he warned.

Idiot. Of course he would, did he look like a masochist? He had a hard enough time trying to contend with his memories of her. Nevertheless, curiosity took hold of him and he really wanted to know now. "Is she doing well?"

The taller man frowned and crossed his arms across his chest, noticing how Kenshin's voice softened ever so slightly as he spoke about her. Sano pointedly studied him for a long moment, as if judging whether or not he should say something. He finally relented with a, "She's fine. She's dating a nice guy who does all the usual romantic crap women want." He paused and furrowed his brow as if a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Actually, it's kinda sickening."

Battousai's heart – what was left of it, anyway – wilted. She was already dating someone? _Of course, you blockhead_, he told himself scornfully. _It's been two years. What did you expect her to do, mope over you for the rest of her life?_ "It sounds like she's found the perfect guy," he managed to say in a steady voice, trying to hide the bitterness welling up from his shriveled heart.

Sano looked at him, a trace of pity in his chocolate brown eyes. "Yeah, well, we'll see. Sometimes I think she's just going out with him so the rest of us would stop nagging her."

There was an awkward pause. Battousai couldn't help a sigh from escaping. He and Sano had been friends from childhood, though they both diverged onto separate roads. Sano, once the best street fighter and all-around punk, was now firmly recruited as a police advisor. With his contacts from the underground, he could find out information more quickly than most officers and offered insight on what he liked to call the 'criminal mind'.

On the other hand, Battousai found his skills were much sought after by the very criminal elements Sano was now working against. He had fallen in and now couldn't climb out, even if he wanted to.

_Liar_, he told himself bluntly. One thing Battousai couldn't tolerate was hiding behind his emotions – or anything else. He could have left the killing business entirely, had a very good reason to do so. But it was now two years too late, even if he regretted the decision he made in the end.

Ah, he was lying to himself again. Of course, he regretted it. But it was too late and now Battousai could do nothing but continue in his damnable role.

Sano was watching him again, he realized. Though not known for his particularly brilliant mind, the taller man could be unusually perceptive at times, a fact that was hidden to even his closest friends. In fact, his next words shook Battousai.

"Ya know, Kenshin, I've never seen you so near your target after killing them. Your last three kills were pretty sloppy, too. It's almost like … you want to get caught."

The stark truth of Sano's words struck him speechless. Battousai couldn't even snap at Sano to stop calling him his given name. Instead, he stared at his former friend as the words floated around his mind. _Do I want to get caught? If they catch me, they'll execute me. But isn't that better than living like this_?

He refused to take his own life; it was the coward's way out. But if someone else killed him instead …

A humorless smile tugged on Battousai's lips. _I have a death wish_, he mused to himself. _Who would have thought so?_

Sano watched him warily, slightly alarmed by the detached expression on Kenshin's face and the cruel parody of a smile hovering on his mouth. "Uh … Kenshin? Is everything all right?" He knew something was wrong; it had gone wrong two years ago but until Kenshin admitted his mistake, nothing could be done.

The concerned tone sank into Battousai's thoughts and he jerked himself back to reality. "Yes, Sano. I'm fine." He searched for his usual impassive expression and finally found it. He could ponder the truth later; right now, he had to get out of here.

Except Sano was in front of him, blocking the exit route. Battousai frowned. As part of his job, Sano couldn't possibly allow him to walk away, not without trying to arrest him and bring him to justice. But Battousai was in no mood for a brawl, not with his mind jerking him around every two minutes with past memories. "Are we going to fight?"

The taller man stuck his hands into the pocket of his jeans and sighed regretfully. "If I don't even try and stop you, Saitou will chew me out. But Megs also told me that if I come home today with another broken bone, she's going to make me sleep on the couch for a month." A rueful grin lit his features, the same crooked smile Battousai remembered from their childhood. "And quite frankly, Megumi scares me more than ten Saitous."

Battousai lowered his head slightly so his long bangs covered his eyes. It was a good lie, but Sano could never fool him. Oh, he believed Megumi could be more frightening than even a wolf – a two year old memory conjured up the image of an elegant woman with a temper to match her beauty – but the doctor was astute enough to know that no amount of threatening would change Sano and his tendency to attract a fight. Still, Battousai was mentally exhausted and he knew the younger man was doing this as one last nod to their friendship from years past. He inclined his head to show his understanding and headed towards the gate.

Sano stepped aside and allowed the red-head to pass, watching him carefully. He loved his job and his new life far more than he ever imagined. Conversely, there was something quite pathetic about the infamous assassin Battousai now. As if he had nothing left to live for.

Sano thought about his life with Megumi and how he finally felt complete with her in his life. He could understand Kenshin's despondency. And even more, he saw the same reaction in Kaoru, though she was better at hiding it.

Two people, though in love, were torn apart because of different beliefs.

But weren't people able to change? Sano knew he had; no one from his former gang would have even imagined him ever working for the police.

So couldn't Battousai the manslayer change as well? He had a lot to answer for, but Sano couldn't help remember the old Kenshin from their childhood, before he became the infamous assassin. He deserved to be happy. And so did Kaoru. And it seemed the only way they could be truly happy was to be together.

"Kenshin."

The single word halted Battousai in his steps but he didn't turn around.

Sano took a deep breath. He wasn't one to meddle in people's affairs, but perhaps hitting rock bottom would change his old friend. _This is for you both_, he thought. Out loud, he said, "It's not too late to change. Just get your act together. If you need help, you know where to find me."

At his words, Battousai turned his head, his golden eyes burning a furious molten yellow. "I don't need your pity, Sagara," he hissed, his body vibrating with checked anger.

Sano met his gaze squarely, refusing to show any fear. "You can't help but pity someone who can't sink any lower than you, Kenshin. I should know. I was there, too, remember? As Zanza, angry at the world for being the way it was. Luckily, I had a good friend who helped me out of my idiocy. I promised him I'd return the favor some day and I think it's time to pay him back."

Battousai closed his eyes, fighting back the surge of unfamiliar emotions welling up inside. There was so much confusion and too many feelings bombarding him all at once that he was beginning to feel nauseous. The only thing he had left that he could cling on to was his pride.

So before that, too, was swept away in the tides of his mental breakdown, he left.

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_Eight months later_

Kamiya Kaoru peeked over from the top of her book while trying to look as though she was engrossed in … whatever book she was reading. Or pretending to read, anyway. Unable to see more than a few feet away, she scowled and tried lifting her head up a little more while keeping her eyes seemingly glued to the page she had randomly opened to.

The only result of such an odd move was a snort of laughter coming from her right. "Kaoru, what in the world are you doing?" Makimachi Misao exclaimed. "You look like you're stretching your neck to imitate a giraffe." She glanced at the book in her friend's hand and added dryly, "And since when were you at all fascinated in how to stop smoking?"

That did it. Kaoru snapped the book shut and set it back in its place on the shelf. "I, uh … just thought I'd think of some more ideas on how to get Saitou to stop smoking," she said lamely.

Misao was watching her with a skeptical expression, arms crossed in front of her. "Uh huh, and I happen to have a million dollars stashed under my bed. What were you really doing?"

It wasn't fair that she could never fool Misao. Kaoru sighed and glanced around again, looking for a flash of red or gold anywhere. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she finally said.

"Try me. I hate to tell you this, Kao, but we're getting really worried about you. Again. First, you dump that cutie gaijin Dan Redwood and now you're acting even more paranoid than Yahiko seeing you in the kitchen. What's going on?"

Lovely. Her friends were discussing her sanity again. Why couldn't she find people who were content to leave things alone? Kaoru scowled again for the second time in five minutes. "I need some tea." Turning around, she nearly fell over as a flash of fiery red caught her peripheral vision.

With a stifled gasp, she spun in that direction and looked around frantically but it was gone. In its place was a fat, balding man who was leering at her from the science-fiction section.

Gross. Science-fiction. Guy who was wearing a shirt that proclaimed 'The Force Is Strong In This One' winking at her.

Behind her, Misao made a disgusted noise and grabbed Kaoru by the arm, dragging her off in the opposite direction. "What are you doing? If you want to flirt with a guy, at least choose someone who doesn't wear Yoda ears, for pete's sake!"

"But," Kaoru began.

"Tch! No more talking until we get you your precious tea. Then you're going to tell me exactly what has been going on in that brain of yours, got it?"

Trying to pry Misao's fingers off her arm was like trying to loosen a wad of gum from your shoes; it was impossible to do without damage. Despite her petite size, the younger girl had a grip stronger than most people would credit her for; Kaoru blamed it on the kunai weapons Misao trained in. So she gave up and allowed herself to be pulled from the bookstore to the best café in the mall.

Once inside, they ordered their respective teas – green for Misao and jasmine for Kaoru – they waited for their trays and went in search of a table. Finding one in the corner that faced the crowds of people strolling down the hall, Kaoru sat down to face the window while Misao obligingly took the seat with her back to the scene.

"Okay, now spill it," Misao commanded even before Kaoru could pour some tea into her cup. "I want to know what's going on."

Kaoru sighed and poured herself some tea, picking up the cup to inhale the breezy scent. "I'm surprised Megumi isn't here for the Inquisition, too" she said rather dryly.

"It's one of Sano's rare days off so they decided to catch a movie, just the two of them." Misao picked up her own teapot and tipped it so the hot liquid spilled into her cup. She set it down before leveling her gaze at the woman in front of her. "So it's just you and me."

Kaoru didn't say anything, instead staring out the window without moving. Her cup was still in her hand, all but forgotten. Misao frowned and said a little louder, "Helloooo! Anyone home? Kaoru?" Now getting alarmed, she waved a hand in front of her face.

Kaoru blinked and looked at Misao. "Huh, what?" She looked out the window again, her heart plummeting as she realized that what had caught her attention was gone again.

Make that _who_ had caught her attention.

"Kaoru! For pete's sake, stop staring outside and look at me or I'm going to kecho kick you to the floor!" Misao said impatiently. "What is out there that could be so fascinating?"

Kaoru's gaze swept the crowds, searching for that familiar but elusive flash of red and gold. "Battousai," she said absently.

Misao stilled, her mind reeling from the unexpected name. "What did you say?" she whispered.

Kaoru was finally able to tear her gaze away from the people to offer her friend a small smile. "Battousai. That's what's been going on, Misao." She shifted in her chair and set the teacup down carefully so it wouldn't spill. "For three weeks now, I've been … seeing the same flashes of color everywhere I go. Red … and gold."

Red hair and gold eyes. The colors that had made Kaoru's former boyfriend so different from anyone else. The combination of colors Misao thought she would never see again.

Forcing her mind to slow its whirling, alarmed thoughts, she recovered from the news, even going so far as to wave her hand dismissively. "That could be just a coincidence, Kaoru. After all, three weeks ago was your … er, anniversary."

Kaoru smiled gently at her genki friend. Not only did her best friends pester her endlessly, they were also quite predictable in their responses. "I know. It's why I didn't mention anything." She didn't say anymore, instead picking up her cup to take a delicate sip of tea.

But the tranquility she projected didn't fool Misao. The younger woman studied her friend for a long while before saying slowly, "But you don't believe it's a coincidence." She wasn't sure what else to say. Why would Battousai come back after almost three years? Kaoru had made her feelings clear to him before he left; did he think she would suddenly change her mind and accept him back?

"Well, Misao, I know I'm not crazy, nor am I prone to exaggerations." Kaoru took another sip of her delicious tea, savoring the taste in her mouth. After she swallowed, she put the cup down before looking up to meet her friend's steady gaze. "What else does that leave?"

There was silence for a long moment while Misao digested this information. Chewing on her lower lip in thought, she finally said, "All right, Kaoru, let's assume that you're right and it is Ken- er, I mean Battousai is back." Clear cerulean eyes met steady azure ones. "How do you feel about it?"

Kaoru pursed her lips, expecting the question but unable to figure out a suitable answer. Finally opting for a half truth, she said, "I don't know. I can't _be_ with someone like him, not if his indifferent attitude remains the same." _But admit it, Kaoru, you want to see him again, regardless. No matter how deeply he hurt you or betrayed your trust, you still want to be with him_.

It was a fact that had taken her nearly three years to realize and accept. It was still a struggle sometimes, trying to come to terms with her feelings, but Kaoru realized that the only way to get through the pain was to acknowledge the truth. Her love for Kenshin went far deeper than the usual emotion. There was a connection between them that wouldn't allow her to give up on him, not even after the choice he had made. Discovering and accepting that truth had helped her tremendously to get through the miserable years they had been apart.

Now, Kenshin was back. But for what purpose? Did he feel the way she did? Was he really stalking her? Kaoru felt no fear from his sudden reappearance though shame kept edging in on her emotions. Her friends had gone through so much to help her through the bad times and were the only constants in her life she could rely on. Yet, despite their support, Kaoru couldn't stop thinking about Kenshin.

Misao was watching her, an inscrutable expression on her face. _Red-heads_, she groused to herself. _They're nothing but trouble_! Out loud, she merely sighed and patted Kaoru on the hand. "I'm guessing there's a 'but' in there, right? Okay, so let's consider a hypothetical – and I stress the hypothetical – situation. Let's say Battousai just _happened_ to give up his little life of crime and murder, showed the proper remorse, and went straight. You'd consider going back to him?" She paused. "Even though he lied to you and chose a career of killing people over being with you?"

Kaoru grimaced. When Misao put it that way, the idea of taking him back didn't seem like a smart idea. Kenshin's decision had made it very clear that he valued his despicable job over her. And she was a strong believer of truth in any kind of relationship, especially when it came to the opposite sex. But here she was, contemplating forgiving Kenshin for lying to her and breaking her heart. His desertion had nearly destroyed her the first time. Could she endure it again?

"Need I remind you that, at the time, his options were quite clear? He could go back to being a mass murderer and give up a fabulous, gorgeous, intelligent woman or he could choose to do the right thing by not killing people and keep said woman?" Misao continued. "Plus, he lied to you from the very beginning of the relationship about what he did for a living. Could you really trust a man like that and accept him back?"

It was a fair question and Kaoru could only oblige her friend with an honest answer. "I don't know," she admitted. "I would have to think long and hard about it but …"

Her trailing voice was all the answer the petite woman needed. Misao grimaced at the reply but she wasn't all that surprised. Kaoru had been completely devastated when Battousai left her, indicating her emotions were quite engaged. "Well, I guess that's that." Megumi was going to be _thrilled_ when she heard this.

Kaoru felt the need to reassure her friend, knowing it wasn't quite the answer Misao was looking for. "But, as you said, it was a hypothetical scenario." She sighed and swished her tea around in the cup. "Like that would ever happen."

"Yeah."

They sat in silence for a long moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, tired of feeling depressed and sorry for herself, Kaoru sat up straight and shot her a bright smile. "Look, let's forget this and go back shopping, all right? I mean, I'm probably imagining things. There are lots of things around here that are red and gold and my imagination is working overtime." She stood up and gathered her things. "Come on, I'm ready to hit the stores again, aren't you?"

Misao, knowing Kaoru wanted to drop the subject for now, willingly followed her lead and nodded, smiling as she rose from her chair. "All right, I'm yours to command!" She trailed after Kaoru but paused at the exit.

She thought she had just seen someone with blood-red hair and golden eyes from the corner of her eye, watching them. But when Misao whirled around to look, no one was there.

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_AN: My first of old stories that badly needs editing. However, I couldn't have done it without the help of my ever-patient beta _**Laegdin**_ who took the time to wade through all the horrible mistakes I've made. I hope to actually finish this story before the year is out and work on my other old stuff that has been on hold forever. Check my profile for future updates. :)  
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	2. Chapter 2

_Let's see, I've murdered, stolen, tampered with police evidence, vandalized property, broke into said properties, and one time pick-pocketed a guy for his ID. Is that it? _

_Oh, yeah, now I get to add 'stalking' to my list of crimes._

Kenshin Himura, also known as Battousai the infamous manslayer, lingered outside the laundromat where, not ten minutes ago, a woman with inky black hair and the bluest azure eyes had just entered. He drifted towards an electrical pole that was diagonal to the store, estimating exactly where he could stand so he wouldn't be in full view of the occupants in the store, yet be able to see through the large glass window easily. It took mere moments for him to gauge how wide his target's scope of view was and where to position himself just outside of her peripheral vision.

Perfect. Now he could watch Kaoru without her knowing it.

Or perhaps not. A rueful grin touched Kenshin's lips as he thought about his rather dismal display of tracking skills at the mall three weeks ago. Kaoru had somehow sensed his presence and was actually looking around her in search of him. And when they were leaving the tea café, he could have sworn Misao had looked right at him.

Six years of experience in disappearing and reappearing, not to mention his supernatural speed he gained from his training. All shot down by two women.

Pathetic. If his former master saw him now, he would be proclaimed even more of an idiot as usual.

The thought actually brought a small smile to Kenshin's face.

Kenshin leaned against the pole with one shoulder, shifting around for a comfortable position as he watched Kaoru from underneath his paperboy cap. The bill was pulled extremely low to keep people from looking too closely at his face; after all, he was still a wanted man. No one had really gotten a good look at his face in his career, but why risk it? And he didn't want to alert Kaoru, either. He merely wanted to watch her.

To be healed by her presence. Only she could soothe his ragged and torn soul.

Staying here too long would merely attract unwanted attention from people. But Kenshin lingered as long as he could, watching her graceful movements as she emptied her laundry into the washer. Kaoru had changed little in the past three years. She was still slender though her body seemed to have gained more muscle – no doubt from practicing kendo. Her dark hair was pulled into a high ponytail with a long blue ribbon threaded through her locks. She was dressed in a baggy pair of jeans and a t-shirt, looking more comfortable than a person ever had a right to.

She was still as beautiful as ever. Even from his position outside, Kenshin could see the sparkle of life still twinkling in her azure eyes, her open countenance and gentle demeanor.

Yes, he meant gentle.

Except when she was whipping her bokken around like an avenging angel.

Which was actually quite often. But Kenshin still liked to think of her as a tender soul. He remembered one time she had tended to one of his wounds he sustained during a job. He refused to tell her how he got hurt but Kaoru still cleaned and bandaged it without complaint.

He missed her. He missed her bad cooking, her worse jokes, her simple but elegant style of dress, her nose wrinkling when she was trying to be polite but actually wanted to blurt out that the person/thing/situation was horrible …

Kenshin missed her terribly. The gaping hole in his heart increased daily when he was away from her. He tried to hide from the truth, but his scrupulous demand for honesty forced him to face the fact without cowardice.

He wanted Kaoru Kamiya back. But he couldn't. He would probably just hurt her all over again, which was the last thing he wanted to do.

Perhaps he was masochistic after all. Why else would he finally acknowledge his mistake only to decree that he was no longer worthy of her love? _Sometimes, I think I am the idiot apprentice Master Hiko kept saying I was_, Kenshin thought sardonically.

A vaguely familiar ki was approaching him from behind. Kenshin tensed at the strong life force and turned around, only to see ice blue eyes a mere foot away, peering down at him through dark bangs. Their eyes clashed for a long moment, neither man moving from their position as they studied each other.

What surprised Kenshin was that the taller man opened his mouth first. "So I see what Misao has said is true. I did not believe you would return again, Battousai."

There was no inflection when he spoke, but Kenshin still winced at the name. "Aoshi. It's been a long while."

Aoshi Shinomori inclined his head ever so briefly. "Why are you here, Battousai?"

_There_ was the Aoshi Kenshin remembered. He didn't bother with pleasantries, merely dove to the heart of the matter. Kenshin considered the man in front of him for a long moment, trying to remember what else Kaoru had said about him, having only known the man a few months before he made The Mistake And Left Her. One thing he remembered: Aoshi could detect most lies. But Kenshin wasn't willing to share his newfound revelation to anyone else yet. Still, a half-truth didn't hurt, either.

So he said simply, "I'm watching my target."

Aoshi tilted his head slightly. "And who would that be?"

"None of your business."

"On the contrary, Battousai. If the Kamiya woman is your target, it is indeed my concern. She is Misao's best friend. Anything that hurts one hurts the other."

_Kaoru has got to have the nosiest friends alive_, Kenshin thought in slight annoyance. _First Sano and now Aoshi. Why can't they all leave well enough alone?_ Out loud, he said, "Don't worry, Aoshi. I don't plan to do anything." Pushing himself off the electric pole, he glanced at the laundromat window one last time to see Kaoru idly staring out into the street as she waited for her load to finish. Hunching his shoulders up, he started walking away from the window quickly, brushing past his impromptu guest. As he expected, the taller man stood aside and allowed him to leave without further incident. Apparently, he didn't want any confrontation between Kaoru and Kenshin anymore than the assassin did.

As he walked away, he could hear her greeting to Aoshi, having seen him through the glass pane and running out to meet him. "Aoshi! What are you doing here?" Kaoru asked.

Aoshi didn't turn around to see where Battousai was. Instead, he shrugged slightly, keeping his eyes on her open gaze. Did she suspect who the man walking away was? "I was just walking to the store for some milk and flour when I bumped into an old acquaintance of mine."

Kaoru glanced at the retreating figure briefly, having the strangest sensation she knew him from somewhere. She brushed the thought aside; after all, Aoshi would have mentioned something if that were true.

So she looked back at the tall figure in front of her, focusing on his first words with her eyebrows quirked. "Is Misao baking again? I swear, that girl is so pregnant! What's with all the motherly fussing all of a sudden?"

Aoshi looked as startled as Aoshi could look when startled. "Pregnant?" he echoed, his normally impassive expression ruffled.

There was a queasy look in his eyes that made Kaoru want to laugh and roll her eyes at the same time. "I was just joking. Calm down before your heart gives out, Aoshi. But seriously, what is she up to?"

His shoulders lost the tenseness that set in a minute before and his expression melted back to its usual impassivity. It never ceased to amaze Kaoru how quickly he could do that. "I believe she is plotting."

Kaoru blanched at the unexpected words. "Uh, oh."

Aoshi nodded. "However, since her plotting has nothing to do with me, I haven't paid any particular attention as to what she is considering this time."

She scowled at him. "Thanks for looking out for the rest of us, Aoshi," she said sarcastically.

"Aa. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get to the store before Misao decides she doesn't want the ingredients anymore." With a slight bow to Kaoru, Aoshi headed off to the corner market.

Misao plotting was never good news for any of them. Kaoru shook her head and groaned, slouching back to her laundry. Not only did she have to worry about her stalker but she now had to avoid Misao as much as possible, preferably for the next two weeks if she didn't want to get sucked into some hair-brained scheme. When it came down to it, she'd rather face a cigarette-deprived Saitoh.

Pathetic but true. Misao's plotting could only spell disaster for the poor victim. The problem was, one never knew exactly what Misao intended to do until it was too late. By then, the trap would be sprung and said victim would suffer. Most likely needlessly.

Making a mental note to call Sano and Megumi later to warn them about Misao, Kaoru sank into one of the plastic chairs and watched the dryer tumble the clothes about rhythmically. Her thoughts, as it was doing more and more often these days, wandered back to Kenshin. The feeling of being followed hadn't abated in the least. In fact, the sensation had grown stronger. _In fact_, even Misao and Megumi claimed whenever they were with her, they, too, saw glimpses of crimson and gold from the corner of their eyes. Sano and Aoshi didn't say much about it, but they, too, had to have known Kenshin was following her around.

Finally, Kaoru had been declared sane by her friends because she wasn't imagining Kenshin nipping at her heels. Not that there was ever any doubt about her sanity, of course.

Now all she had to worry about was her ex-boyfriend-turned-stalker.

Not that he wasn't a polite stalker. He never approached her, never bothered her beyond the feeling of his presence somewhere nearby. He was always there to take her to work and pick her up when the day ended. It made Kaoru wonder if he hung around while she was working or if he left. Kenshin followed her to the grocery store, to the mall, to the dojo, and once to the police station where she dropped something off for Sano.

Luckily, none of the police officers there seemed to notice her permanent shadow. Even more fortunate, Kenshin decided not to follow her inside since both Saitoh and Sano were there and would no doubt create a big fuss over the stalking. And somehow, Kaoru didn't think trying to assure the two men that she actually felt somewhat comforted by Battousai's continuous presence would go over well with them.

Sano would have locked her up and refused to let her go outside ever again.

Saitoh would probably just kill her. After all, insane people could become dangerous in their delusions. Why not take care of the problem now before it blew up into something bigger?

Well, piffle on them. The point was moot, anyway.

Kenshin had even followed her to the laundromat today. Kaoru sat up suddenly, realizing that when she went outside to speak to Aoshi, the watched feeling was gone. She hadn't noticed the absence of his telling presence until now.

Well, that made sense. Aoshi always paid attention to his surroundings, a habit he claimed he picked up from a stint in the army. Had he seen Kenshin, he would feel obligated to approach and chase him away, because of Kaoru's friendship with Misao.

Maybe Aoshi _did_ scare Kenshin away.

Kaoru considered the idea for a long moment. Nah. Kenshin wasn't the kind of person to be so easily intimidated. And Aoshi could be quite the formidable opponent, but in a fight, she was sure Kenshin would win. After all, Kenshin was the _Battousai_. The infamous man-slayer.

Groaning, Kaoru dropped her head in her hands, feeling a familiar ache beginning to pound away at her temples. Ever since Kenshin started stalking her, she thought of nothing but him, even when she was supposed to be concentrating on work or her friends. The constant thoughts and concerns roiled around inside her head so much she practically gave herself a migraine every night. "Kenshin, you jerk," she muttered to herself. "The least you could do is approach and talk to me! Argg!"

And therein lay the heart of the matter that worried her. Kaoru sighed and stood up as the dryer beeped to announce the end of the cycle. Pulling the door open, she began to sort through the clothes and fold them up as neatly as possible while trying to arrange her thoughts into a semblance of order.

Point One: she knew he was watching her all day, give or take a few hours (after all, even the infamous Battousai needed to sleep).

Point Two: he had continued his stalking behavior for a good four months now with no sign of stopping.

Point Three: she already established that should Kenshin have some sort of change of heart, express the proper remorse, and come to her again, she would be willing to listen.

Point Four: all he was doing was stalking. No contact, no nothing.

Point Five: she was okay with said stalking. Crazy, but true.

Point Six: if Kenshin didn't approach her soon, he was going to find himself the recipient of the business end of her bokken.

Kaoru sighed and stopped in mid-fold, which was pretty messy, anyway. The truth of the matter was clear, thanks to her six, concise points.

Kaoru wanted Kenshin Himura back. She was almost willing to forgive most of his mistakes. She acknowledged his stalking presence, even welcomed it.

And he _still_ wasn't doing a damn thing about it!

Really, was there a more clueless man alive? The only thing she didn't do was run in his direction, tear off her clothes, and shout, "Take me, I'm yours!"

Hmm …

With a snort of derision at the direction of her thoughts, Kaoru dismissed the notion entirely. After all, the point was for Kenshin to make the first move.

Unless … he didn't want to, for some reason. Maybe he was stalking her because he wanted to annoy her. Or scare her. Or force her to succumb to mental anxiety which would make her friends send her to the loony bin where Kenshin could visit and laugh at her all day long and she could hear nothing but his insane cackles echoing in her four-by-four cell ...

Kaoru shook her head in slight annoyance at her wild thoughts. Kenshin wasn't that kind of person. He wouldn't toy with people like that. No, he was a zip-in-kill-the-guy-zip-out kind of guy. Not exactly straight-forward like Aoshi, but he would never play with people's emotions.

So, then, what was he waiting for?

* * *

It was a long habit of the five friends to meet together at least twice a month for dinner at the Akabeko, borne from the necessity of their individual busy schedules. It gave them all a chance to catch up with the current news with a healthy amount of teasing to go with it. 

Megumi, Misao, and Kaoru were all jabbering away as usual while Aoshi maintained his stoic silence when they finally realized something was wrong. Misao was first to notice and reached over to poke Sano on the arm. "Hey, Rooster-head. What's up?"

The other two women fell silent as they realized Sano hadn't said a word besides ordering his favorite dish. They became alarmed when they realized his food had barely been touched. "Sanosuke? Are you all right?" Kaoru asked, worry lancing through her voice.

The brown-haired man glanced up, obviously startled from his thoughts. "Huh? Yeah, I'm okay. Just spaced out for a moment." He reached up and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry about that, everyone."

Megumi arched a brow at her husband. "It's better if you tell us what's on your mind so you don't worry them."

At her words, Sano cracked a grin. "Just 'them', Fox?"

"Hmph! I gave up worrying about you years ago. If getting smacked around by Saitoh doesn't kill you, obviously nothing will."

"Come on, Rooster-head," Misao chimed in. "Tell us, already!"

"Eh, it's just about work. What about our promise not to bring business into our dinner time together?" Sano protested.

"Oh, yeah, right, like we never broke that rule before," Kaoru said sarcastically.

He raised his hands up in surrender. "All right, all right, I'll tell you all. Sheesh, a guy can't get a moment's peace with all these harpies around. Right, Aoshi?" He sent the older man a sideways glance.

Aoshi merely took a sip of his tea. "Do not bring me into your arguments, Sagara. I prefer to remain neutral."

Sano sighed. "So much for us guys sticking together," he muttered. Noticing the murderous looks directed at his person, he cringed. "Okay, okay! But you guys may not like it." He took a deep breath. "It's about Kenshin."

Kaoru stilled, gripping her chopsticks tighter unconsciously as she heard his name. Did something happen to him? Something bad? "What about him?" she managed to ask in what she thought was a reasonably steady voice, aware of everyone's gaze on her. Her body felt flushed and she waved her left hand to cool her face some.

Sano's expression became solemn, a rare sign of concern for the ex-fighter. "Well, I don't know how to put this but … He hasn't been doing anything."

Amid a chorus of "What?" and "He's not making any sense _again_", Misao spoke above it to be heard. "Explain," she demanded, keeping one eye on Kaoru's heated face. She pushed a cup of ice water in her friend's direction which she gratefully took.

Sano shrugged. "Ever since Ke- Battousai has been around, he's done at least eight kills a month. Sometimes the bodies aren't found until much later, but we can definitely tell which ones are Kenshin's and which ones aren't. But the last seven months or so, there has been a conspicuous absence of victims."

Megumi glanced at Kaoru who had downed the entire glass of water and was still looking rather wan but steadier. "Could he be somehow hiding the bodies somewhere?" the doctor asked.

"Maybe. But I don't think so. There's no reason why Kenshin would do that. With his previous erratic behavior, it'd be more likely that he'd be killing even more. I checked in with some of my contacts underground and there's a rumor going around that Battousai hasn't been seen for a while. There are people waiting for him to show up to take contracts like usual but there's no sign of him."

"So … what does this mean?" Misao asked, reaching out to squeeze Kaoru's hand in reassurance.

Sano took a deep breath. "Well, there could be other explanations for his absence, but …" From the corner of his eye, he watched Kaoru. "I personally think it's because he quit. The killing business, I mean."

Misao and Megumi fell silent as they absorbed the news. Then Kaoru made a low noise in her throat, causing every eye to swing in her direction in concern. She didn't speak, merely sat there, staring into nothing. Megumi was the first to notice the tears that leaked from the corner of her eye and leaned over to give her a tight hug.

"It's all right," the doctor said soothingly. "Come on, let's go to the ladies' room. Misao?" Catching sight of her husband opening his mouth, she shot him a warning glance to keep his silence. He shut it abruptly, obeying the unspoken command.

The three women stood and made a strategic retreat to the restroom with Kaoru hunched between her two friends. Sano watched them leave before turning to Aoshi, displaying an unprecedented amount of anxiety. "Was I wrong in telling her that?" he asked, desperate for reassurance. He should have talked to Megumi beforehand, but he hadn't expected Kaoru to take the news so hard. From her nonchalant attitude at Kenshin's stalking, he rather thought she'd be overjoyed.

Aoshi remained quiet for a long moment, head tilted down so the younger man couldn't see his eyes. Finally, he looked up and met Sano's gaze, the cobalt orbs as impassive as ever. "It isn't my position to tell you what to do or not do." When Sano would have protested, he spoke again. "But … no, I don't believe you were wrong. She had to know eventually."

The stoic man's words caused Sano relief to no end. It was good to know Aoshi would have done the same. Focusing his mind back matter at hand, Sano glanced at a window as if expecting Kenshin to peer at them from the outside. "He's been watching her for months, now, and constantly if what Megs and Weasel-girl say is true."

"Aa."

"And the Missy doesn't seem to be bothered by it at all," Sano continued.

"Aa."

"Normal people would have freaked out by now. But then again, the Missy and Kenshin had a weird relationship to begin with."

"Aa."

Sano frowned at the one-sided conversation. Honestly, sometimes talking to Aoshi was worse than talking to a brick wall. At least you _knew_ the brick wall didn't have the capability to answer. Nevertheless, he gamely plunged on. "You may not remember much of it since you just started dating Weasel-girl back then, but they both loved and despised their time together."

This time, it was only a nod in response.

Sano hesitated for a moment before deciding to express his curiosity that had been plaguing him ever since he learned of Kenshin's stalking tendencies. After all, if he didn't continue talking, the conversation would fall flat and he disliked just sitting there, waiting for the girls to come back. Besides, Aoshi was quite good at reading people; maybe he could give Sano some insight in the Battousai's head. "What I want to know is, what has he been doing after he stopped killing and before he started stalking her?"

There was a pause as Aoshi contemplated his words. "Perhaps he has been searching for a way to atone for his mistakes," he said at last.

Finally, an actual response. And an interesting one, at that. The ex-fighter lifted his brows at Aoshi's words. "You sound as though you agree with me about him quitting the business. You really think he did that?"

"The behavior you described about the Battousai when you saw him a year ago indicates that he was already in some sort of emotional crisis. Coupled with your presence reminding him of the past and your words that it was not too late, that may have caused him to truly rethink things over."

Aoshi had gone back to staring at his plate as he spoke but when no reply (or question) was forthcoming, he looked up to see Sano staring at him in puzzlement. A little crease appeared across his brow as the older man asked, "What?"

Sano could only whistle in amazement. "It sounds like you've been thinking about this a lot. Let me guess, you minored in psychology at the university."

Aoshi shook his head. "No. Battousai is, after all, only a man. He is more alike to us than we admit to."

"Maybe he is," Sano agreed before cracking a small smile. "The question is, is that better for him or worse for us?"

Sano had meant that to be a joke but Aoshi met his eyes, his jaw tightening slightly. "I don't know," he said gravely.

* * *

_AN: Still too long to be a two-shot. This section isn't great either. Bleh. Third and final part will be up soon._


End file.
